webber-george This is a very interesting film, there is for sure a hint of sexual repression in it, but I think that's true of all of the Director (Campion's) films. Given the script, Nicole Kidman has a standout performance, I just think that the director didn't get the absolute best out of her, with her character somewhat lacking in belief. Her character just doesn't seem as believable as she could. Perhaps this is because the Director didn't allow enough time for Kidman's character to evolve from an innocent to a cold corrupted woman.Its for this lack of character development I felt I couldn't give the film more than a 6. There is just something lacking - almost chopped out of the film. a simple 3 years later isn't good enough explanation for such a dramatic change in character. In addition I feel there is no formal ending to the story. The production and cinematography give this film a higher rating that it might of otherwise got.Not bad but could have been better.

lreynaert Jane Campion transposed one of Henry James' best novels into a formidable masterpiece. She captured luminously the author's main themes: money and love, Puritanism, innocence and survival.A gift of a fortune by an uncle to a young lady turns into a nightmare: money doesn't buy happiness. She becomes the target of those who need the money for their own 'standing' and the survival of their offspring (daughter). Another main theme of Henry James is Puritanism: the rejection of the 'physical' body. The innocent lady is captured through the discovery of physical contact, here, a tongue kiss. It overwhelms her completely and she gets entangled in a web of lies, hard plays of domination and subtle intrigues in order to keep her former admirers at bay. She stays blind for the 'real' world of true affections until she is confronted with naked and shattering facts. The performance of the cast (Nicole Kidman, John Malkovich, Barbara Hershey and others) is simply sublime. Rarely have difficult expressions in harsh and deeply pure or malignant emotional confrontations so intensely been interpreted. A must see.

buddybickford If the Carry on Team made 'Carry On Florence' would people who wear Panama hats still watch it because it's in Florence? Well they may as well, as it would have about the same dinner party kudos as Jane Campion's 'The Portrait of a Lady', this film pins all of its hopes on appealing to the same crowd who have the directors cut of 'A room with a view', which incidentally should never sit next to this passionless nonsense on a DVD rack, it would be like putting a Chopin CD next to a Booty Gyals Rap attack CD.Anyway to cut to the chase for some reason we the audience just like the cast are supposed to be captivated and / or in some way enchanted by Isabel Archer(Played by Nicole Kidman) who if she were a Cocktail would be a glass of Luke warm tap water, admittedly she is unforgettable as she had an Austrailian accent throughout, and sported a full head of red Pubic hair. Nevertheless the film carries on regardless (ooops wasn't that a Carry on?) assuming (insisting) that you're sold on Ms Archer and her great invisible bag of charm.She teases three men who are all clamoring for her affection, all of whom may have had their own personalities and characters but you won't know as it didn't seem important to include such detail.Only when she gets to Florence does she finally meet someone who can match her invisible bag of charm, he comes in the very camp average form of Gilbert Osmond played by John Malkovich, he does however speak (again slightly camply) in a consistent whispering single tone, that similar to serial killers, this seems for the most part to be just what Mssss Archer had been missing whilst plagued by all of those Testosterone touting 'oh so predictable' men. He is completely ill equipt as a seducer both physically and mentally but then again Ms Archer has about the same kit, therefore the question is, does anyone care what happens to empty boring people, in an empty boring film?During a business trip a colleague of mine asked me to watch this, I said to her jokingly that it sounds like a Chick Flick and that I had already seen Fried Green Tomatoes (a good film), she insisted it wasn't.....Shelly Winters (Great actress) was in the opening credits.. need I say more... as De Niro would say 'Whatchagonnadoo?' A supporting character that shouldn't go unmentioned is Henrietta Stackpole played by Mary-Louise Parker, she is completely 1990... every time she was in a scene I couldn't help trying to spot her time machine, she even had that new contrived horrible spoiled nasal Californian accent, you know instead of saying 'never ever' they say 'Navaar Avaaaar'.I just hope no 'Ladies' try and watch this in the innocent hope it may trigger some wild passionate dreams about moody Barons fighting in moonlit Florence over their 'Porcelain beauty'.. because ladies you'll be disappointed, and if things are so bad you're not disappointed, and that this film does indeed tick your passion boxes ... then you need a divorce....or your Husband does.

maggietom After Isabel knew that Pansy is Serena's daughter, she was shocked at the very beginning and scared consequently 'cause she finally came to understand that she was used by her merciless husband and his lover. After this brief encounter with Serena, she realized that her cousin deeply fell for her since the very beginning,he did all he could to make her lead a happy and rich life but to propose to her himself, which is partly due to his consideration( he didn't want to widow her since he knew that he couldn't live long due to his consumption), and also might because that he was unconfident ( his wealthy friend Lord Warburton was refused when he proposed to Isabel, he might believe that he is out of the question too).Anyway, Isabel realized the real love she held is to her cousin- Ralph, but all is too late. She was angry with herself, she was angry with her fate, in other words, she hates herself so much that she wants to torture herself as sort of revenge.. But one thing is clear that she has changed again after the visit of England, after the dying of Ralph, after knowing that her husband is merely using her for her money, she wouldn't make his life easy as before, she might want to revenge him by returning to him. One thing is clear, she is becoming stronger and more cruel, maybe no less cruel than her husband. She is like this because she lost the only one who loves her and whom she loves. Isabel is dead.